Illegal wrecking yard uncovered in Chehalis

BY Kim Shepard  on September 12, 2012 @ 9:14 am (Updated: 12:13 pm - 9/12/12 )

McBride.jpg
Michael McBride, 41, was arrested Wednesday morning and booked into the Lewis County Jail. (Image courtesy Lewis County Sheriff's Office) | Zoom
A convicted felon in Chehalis has been arrested after police discovered he was allegedly operating an illegal wrecking yard on his property.

The Lewis County Sheriff's Office says they started investigating 41-year-old Michael McBride a few weeks ago. A tipster told them he had been bringing car after car to his home for three months.

Receipts from a local recycling yard showed McBride had been bringing in car parts and scrap metal. On one day alone his haul exceeded 1,700 pounds of metal. On Sunday, Sept. 9, deputies were able to connect some of the scrapped parts to a stolen pickup.

A search warrant at McBride's home in the 200 block of Lake Creek Road in Chehalis uncovered more pieces of the stolen truck. Deputies also found two firearms, 337 grams of marijuana, smoking devices and a digital scale.

McBride was not home at the time of the search and a warrant for his arrest was issued. On Wednesday morning, detectives tracked McBride to a travel trailer parked in back of a home in the 1100 block of Koontz Road in Chehalis. He has been arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail.

Kim Shepard, KIRO Radio Reporter
Kim Shepard is a news anchor and reporter for KIRO Radio and the office optimist. She's energetic, quick to laugh and has a positive outlook on life.
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Comments (14)


  • Add A Comment

  • Basso wrote...
    Shocked
    September 12, 2012 12:51 pm
    What a shocker...a ilegal wrecking yard disovered in Chehalis. Slow news day? LOL
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chris Halliday wrote...
    Higher fines for junk cars
    September 12, 2012 1:29 pm
    I just looked up what the fines were for junk cars in peoples' yards were. It appears a fine can be from $150 to $500. I think fines should be much stiffer. When I watch that show "American Pickers", it just pissses me off when I see these horders with these old tractors and cars in their yards. The more vehicles there are, the more I doubt the owners bothered to drain all the fluids that leak into the top soil. My landlord has three junk vehicles and a big nasty boat in his driveway. This guy is loaded but insists on hording this krap. Fine and jail these nut-jobs if they don't do anything about these ecological messes they create.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    I will sleep SO much better tonight knowing that
    September 12, 2012 3:45 pm
    the cops took down an illegal wreaking yard.

    All those resources wasted on something that is not harming anyone else!

    What you do in your own backyard, as long as it does not hurt anyone else, is a waist of time and should be left alone!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Derrol_o wrote...
    Should be left alone
    September 12, 2012 4:25 pm
    Well, not if it involves stolen vehicles.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Pressman wrote...
    Sorry-
    September 13, 2012 12:37 am
    Can't resist- Ho-Ho complaining about busting 50 year olds smoking weed watching Hannity in their living rooms- all these resources wasted on something that is not harming anyone else- what you do as a taxpaying, job holding citizen, as long as it does not hurt anyone else, should be left alone...ya, I know, he's whining about screwing with people who have a few old cars in their yard, but contrast his arguement with his take on smoke- anyone else see the contradiction in his position toward "illegal" car wreckers-it's okay- versus "illegal" arthritis sufferers toking down half a joint so they can grab a few hours of sleep-not okay- ya sure ya betcha Ho-Ho...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • worhtalook wrote...
    So
    September 13, 2012 8:57 am
    You have no problem with a comvicted felon stealing your car and tearing it apart? Making a living is one thing but as a felon he clearly has no respect or appreciation of freedom. Havine weapons and apparently drug pAraphenalia is ok too. He' s just trying to make a living right? And for the record, i have rheumatoid arthritis in most joints now and find many other remedies rather thN getting stoned and i take nothing to help me sleep! Thats just. Bunch of crap people love to say to get their weed. Clear conscience, honest good choices, allow me good sleep and i can deal with some discomfort, life isnt always a bed of roses, but a happy heart is better than a dishonest selfish entitlement mentality which is what people like this man have. He needs to be in jail with those that view the world like he does, and you sound like you should be right there with him. As a matter of fact why not take him in and let him run his " business" at your place, how many cars do you have that he can rip apart And sell?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cybermatrix24 wrote...
    @ It's me!!
    September 13, 2012 11:22 am
    Are you serious....I don't know if you read the story or not but the guy was dealing with stolen vehicles. Yeah, an illegal wrecking yard might not seem like a big deal, but many times these petty crimes lead to the discovery of bigger crimes being committed. You hear stories all the time of cops busting someone for something minor and it leads to much bigger discovery. Police work doesn't always involve the big fish, you gotta catch the little fish sometimes too!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Had an ahole like that rent a property from me once
    September 12, 2012 5:48 pm
    In five months he left two stolen cars, six abandoned cars and the state. It is really hard to get rid of abandoned cars when left on your property. Could have taken SIX months to get the paper work through, you cant just haul them off.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ fartforce1
    September 12, 2012 5:55 pm
    A tennant left an entire state on your property?

    That really sucks.....;-)

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ It's me! Ha ha!
    September 12, 2012 5:55 pm
    Hey mister law and order Conservative: He may have been involved in stealing cars and parting them out and scrapping the rest.

    Now you should be able to sleep better. Glad I could help.... ;-)

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    its the moron
    September 12, 2012 8:17 pm
    Spell check unplugged? You must not have much of a life to be commenting on wrecking yards. You are truly a loser. Not employed either! All day poster! Apples are ripe in Wenatchee, need some gas money to get there? Probably.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • simp12 wrote...
    Who cares
    September 12, 2012 9:09 pm
    The guy was trying to make a living in today's economy!I love Chris Halliday comment about the environmental impact lol!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chris Halliday wrote...
    How can ya'll support this sort of thing?
    September 13, 2012 6:07 am
    I'm truely perplexed as to how some of you think it's ok to have an unlicensed wrecking yard on your property. Not only does it look like He11, it brings down the value of other properties nearby. That does make it harmful to other people. If someone does want to make a living at this sort of thing then they should do it properly. Get the correct documents and conduct your business lawfully. If you're not doing this, it probably means you're not operating up to the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. But simp, you're such a sap you probably didn't notice the guy in the story was running an illegal chop shop. So while he was trying to make a living in today's economy he was stealing from others. And you're dumb enough to be alright with that. How many junk cars are in your yard simp? Go to some rural county and add up all the junk cars you see in hicks' yards. I drove east from Sedro-Woolley a couple times and started noticing all the junk cars in yards. Without exageration, there was an average of two junk cars in yards between Sedro and Concrete. All those junk cars add up to a major negative impact on the environment indeed. The Skagit River runs right through that area and over time gets all the run off from all these vehicles. Plus, if it was alright, there wouldn't even be a $150 to $500 fine at all. But all you detracters love your junk cars and that's just the way you are. Get rid of them you idiots. Make a little money off the scrap and, for once in your miserable lives, have a freshly mowed yard where your stupid old jalopies use to be.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    This guy should of been a goverment worker.
    September 13, 2012 3:01 pm
    I guess he just had to much pride. Tried to make it on his own. Back to the re'education camp jail. I guess some people were missing thier cars.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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